Arthur continued walking as the sun set in the horizon behind him, knowing if any intelligent life inhabited this planet, they'd likely know of his arrival. He was willing to bet seismic sensors had gone insane, as if a volcano had become active.
His feet were coated in pine tar and thin, green needles that had fallen almost aimlessly to the ground.
He couldn't help but feel surprised that there were still planets out there that had somehow remained untouched by the sheer scale of endless expansion. He remembered being to planets that had their exterior consumed by cities, that had been hollowed to fit even more, expanding as far down as they could before it crumbled under the weight of its own hunger.
After some time the line of trees broke, and he stepped out onto a road. He looked right, and then left, there were no signs or landmarks he could spot along either direction. He walked forward, and realized he had been walking down a gradual slope, as the road was carved along the belly of a vast chain of mountains. Turning back he looked past the trees and noticed that one of the mountains had been forcibly flattened, presumably by his hasty arrival.
He leaned against a guard rail and took in the scenery, the endless mountains that fell into an almost endless valley. Across the valley, in the light of a setting sun, he noticed that lights were poking through thick trees. From those lights, he traced a path back along the valley, across a massive concrete bridge, eventually joining with the road he stood on. As such he began a light job in that direction, walking in the center of the road to make sure that if someone was driving down it, they'd see a nude man and hopefully stop.
...
A lone alien was driving a vehicle that looked akin to a dune buggy outfitted with the bed of a truck. It was three feet tall, had pink, veiny skin, and was indescribably angry. A song was playing on the radio, its upbeat nature seemed to anger him even more.
He'd spent the last week harvesting solar batteries on a desert that had formed between a dying star and a black hole, both in competition to see which could steal more. He'd returned with thousands of filled batteries, but wasn't paid the full price, stating he somehow violated a company policy when he had taken off.
He slammed the metal arm that was attached to his chest on the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to swerve a bit.
Arthur heard the screech of a tire and looked back as a speeding vehicle rounded a corner of the mountain and collided with him at full speed. He was launched into a tree while the vehicle bounced into the metal guardrail.
The alien stepped out of the vehicle and hastily slammed the door behind him. He began signing to Arthur in the system's universal sign language, as the nude man stood up from the tree holding his head.
"What the fuck are you made of?"
Arthur began signing back.
"Flesh dumbass, why did you hit me, you put me through a tree."
"Oh I am at fault? Why are you walking in the middle of the road completely naked?"
"Sometimes a guy has to do what a guy has to do."
"Oh you had to ruin the frame of my vehicle?"
"I'm sorry about that, how was I supposed to know that'd happen. I was just hoping you'd stop and give me a ride... what's your name sir?"
"Gary, now what the hell do you mean-"
"Wait, Gary, really, I was expecting something far more complicated."
The alien paused for a moment, eyeing him with a perplexed look on his face.
"Wait a minute, are you human? Or at least speak English?"
Arthur rolled his eyes and spoke.
"Isn't that obvious?"
The alien pointed at him and yelled.
"No it isn't, I hit you with a car at nearly 70 miles per hour and you walked it off, plus there are like thirty species that look human, you giant naked idiot."
Arthur shook his head and walked over to the truck, which was hanging precariously over the guard rail, he grabbed the rear door of the bed and began pulling it off the cliff. Gary looked at him suspiciously.
"Are you sure you are human?"
"Yes, I am sure. Can you give me a ride to town?"
Gary didn't break his look of suspicion and pointed at the door of the truck, it was too small for Arthur to fit into but on the passenger seat sat a box, inside the box were piles of orange jumpsuits.
He nodded at Gary and pulled one on, and sat down in the bed of the truck.
"I didn't say I'd give you a ride to town."
Arthur held up his arm and began whimpering, pointing at it as if it were limp with pain.
"Fine... what's your name?"
Arthur immediately dropped his arm.
"Arthur, and thanks."
"Those aren't free so don't thank me yet."
He started the vehicle, which sounded as if it were on its last legs. Reversing it away from the cliff, he began driving up the road, going a bit slower than he had before.
...
Some hours earlier, a woman looked up as a blast rang out across the hills, she saw the top of a mountain disappear from view, massive trees flattened against the tide, and a shockwave echoed down the hill towards her. It blew past her, causing her dress to fly rapidly against her body. The grass around her danced wildly almost as if it was trying to escape its roots and its dirt prison.
For a moment she was confused but brushed it off, this planet was vast and occasionally caught a stray meteor or two, that didn't mean it was jaw-dropping every time she saw it.
"I've got to get back to work."